As the newscaster's voice faintly reached Lucian, he knew Roxanne must have heard about his engagement. He studied her carefully, but she seemed calm.

Shortly after, he broke the silence. "I'm here to visit Essie. How is she doing?"

Roxanne stepped aside to let him in. "She's upstairs. I need to talk to you about her."

They entered the living room. Roxanne gestured for him to sit on the couch while she took a seat on a separate one.

Catalina served them coffee and left, sensing they had something to discuss.

"What is it?" Lucian's heart sank at her expression.

Roxanne said calmly, "I agreed to let Essie stay temporarily because of her condition. She's doing much better these past few days. She's even starting to talk. Compared to before, she's improved significantly. There's no need for her to stay here."

She was telling him to take Estella home.

Lucian's expression turned grim. "Since she's improving so much here, she might recover completely if she stays. If it doesn't trouble you—"

Roxanne interjected swiftly, "I'm sorry. Essie is your daughter; she'll recover faster with you. I'm a stranger to her, after all."

Lucian's brows furrowed at her determination. "Why the sudden decision? I thought you were taking good care of her."

Roxanne met his gaze and offered a sarcastic grin. "I'm not obligated to care for someone else's daughter. I agreed because she was sick, and I've done what I could. Mr. Farwell, you should know when to stop. We're not related, so you shouldn't force me to care for your daughter."

Glancing at the still-playing news on the TV, she added icily, "Besides, I don't want to get involved with a married man and risk being accused of being a homewrecker."

Lucian stared silently at the TV, unable to reply.

His silence confirmed her suspicions. Her voice grew frosty. "I've been busy with work, and caring for your daughter is an added burden. I don't want to force myself, so please don't make this difficult and bring her home as soon as possible."

Roxanne's face was impassive as she spoke. Averted her gaze, her nails dug into her palms. She had made her decision hastily after Lucian's arrival. Lucian is marrying Aubree. If Essie stayed, he would visit frequently, which wasn't right. It was best to keep her distance to avoid misunderstandings.

Sensing her intention, Lucian frowned. "Didn't you say the children are innocent?"

Without hesitation, Roxanne replied, "I won't stop Archie and Benny from being friends with Essie. She's welcome to play with them anytime."

Still, I'll do my best to avoid Lucian.